Illuminated house number



P 1941- c. s'. NELSON 2,254,829

ILLUMINATED HOUSE NUMBER Filed Jan. 16, 1941 In venior 4 (k7/ die/ 10774 9194 I A iiorne y Patented Sept. 2, 1941 STATES PAT 2 Claims.

This invention relates to an illuminated house number, the generalobject of the invention being to provide a casing having numbers orcharacters formed of neon tubes suitably supported therein so that Whenthe characters are illuminated by current passing through the tubes thecharacters can be readily read at night from a considerable distance.

Another object of the invention is to so form the parts that they willbe weatherproof and the tubes can be readily removed and replaced asdesired.

This invention also consists in certain other features of constructionand in the combination and arrangement of the several parts to behereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing andspecifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like orcorresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of the invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

As shown in these views the device comprises a casing i containing afilling 2 of suitable material and socket forming members 3 are embeddedin the material with the front end opening out through the front of thematerial and provided with reduced portions which pass through openingsin the front of the casing. These socket forming members may be formedof porcelain or any other suitable material and are provided withexterior fins 4 for preventing them from movement in the compound orfilling 2. These socket forming members or receptacles receive the neontube elements 5 and the tubes 6 form the numbers or characters as shownin Figure 1 and are located adjacent the outer end of the receptaclethough inwardly so that they are protected. The inner ends of the tubeswhich are embedded in the members 5 are electrically connected to theplugs 1 which fit in tubes 8 passing through the inner ends of thereceptacles 3 and electrically connected with the conductors 9 whichlead to a suitable transformer which may be embedded in the material 2in the casing I as shown in dotted lines at 56, the parts being, ofcourse, suitably connected with a supply of electricity. The plugs lremovably fit in the sleeves or tubes 8 so that the neon tube can beremoved and replaced or substituted by a new one whenever desired sothat the numbers can be changed or new ones substituted for damagedones.

As will be seen the receptacles have the end walls tapered so that waterwill drain therefrom and the filling 2 is preferably of waterproofmaterial so that the entire device is weatherproof. The neon tubing canbe made of various colors as desired.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages andnovel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction andin the combination and arrangement of the several parts provided thatsuch changes fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the claimed as new is:

1. An illuminated device comprising a casing, receptacle forming memberslocated in the casing and opening out through the front thereof, afiller in the casing holding the receptacle members in place andcharacters formed by neon tubes in the receptacles and visible throughthe front ends of the receptacles, said characters being removab-ly heldin the receptacles and means for connecting the characters to a sourceof electrical supply.

2. In an illuminated house number, a casing having openings in itsfront, receptacles of porcelain located in the casing and having theiropen ends opening out through the said openings in the front of thecasing, the receptacles forming tapered chambers, tubes passing throughthe inner ends of the receptacles and connected to a source ofelectrical supply and characters formed of neon tubes having plugs atthe inner ends for fitting in the tubes in a removable manner.

invention, what is CARL SHELDON NELSON.

